Electrical stimulation therapy apparatus for dysphagia and method thereof

Abstract

Provided is an electrical stimulation therapy apparatus for dysphagia including an input unit configured to receive user information including a food type divided into a low-viscosity liquid and a high-viscosity liquid, a stimulation unit including a plurality of channels and configured to stimulate swallowing muscles of a user, and a processor configured to generate a control command for driving the stimulation unit, wherein the processor sequentially stimulates the swallowing muscles including a bilateral suprahyoid muscle (SH), a thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and a sternothyroid muscle (StH) of the user according to a preset muscle activation sequence based on the user information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrical stimulation therapy apparatus for dysphagia, comprising:
 an input unit configured to receive user information including a food type divided into a low-viscosity liquid and a high-viscosity liquid;   a stimulation unit including a plurality of channels and configured to stimulate swallowing muscles of a user; and   a processor configured to generate a control command for driving the stimulation unit,   wherein the processor sequentially stimulates the swallowing muscles including a bilateral suprahyoid muscle (SH), a thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and a sternothyroid muscle (StH) of the user according to a preset muscle activation sequence based on the user information.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical stimulation therapy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the user information further includes a muscle contraction type, and   the muscle contraction type includes a first type in which all the swallowing muscles have a monophasic pattern, and a second type in which at least one of the swallowing muscles has a biphasic pattern and the other swallowing muscles have a monophasic pattern.   
     
     
         3 . The electrical stimulation therapy apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first type includes a first pattern in which all of the suprahyoid muscle (SH), the thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a monophasic pattern, and   the second type includes a second pattern in which the thyrohyoid muscle (TH) and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a monophasic pattern and the suprahyoid muscle (SH) has a biphasic pattern, a third pattern in which the sternothyroid muscle (StH) has a monophasic pattern and the suprahyoid muscle (SH) and the thyrohyoid muscle (TH) have a biphasic pattern, and a fourth pattern in which all of the suprahyoid muscle (SH), the thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a biphasic pattern.   
     
     
         4 . The electrical stimulation therapy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stimulation unit includes a first stimulation unit attached to digastric and mylohyoid to stimulate bilateral suprahyoid muscles (SH), a second stimulation unit attached onto both sides of thyroid cartilage to stimulate a thyrohyoid (TH) muscle, and a third stimulation unit attached to an inner side of sternocleidomastoid muscle and to a lower portion of the thyroid cartilage to stimulate a sternohyoid (StH) muscle. 
     
     
         5 . An electrical stimulation therapy method performed by an electrical stimulation therapy apparatus for dysphagia, the electrical stimulation therapy method comprising:
 receiving user information including a food type divided into a low-viscosity liquid and a high-viscosity liquid from a user through an input unit; and   sequentially stimulating, by using a stimulation unit, a bilateral suprahyoid muscle (SH), a thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and a sternothyroid muscle (StH) of the user according to a preset muscle activation sequence based on the user information.   
     
     
         6 . The electrical stimulation therapy method of  claim 5 , wherein
 the user information further includes a muscle contraction type, and   the muscle contraction type includes a first type in which all the swallowing muscles have a monophasic pattern, and a second type in which at least one of the swallowing muscles has a biphasic pattern and the other swallowing muscles have a monophasic pattern.   
     
     
         7 . The electrical stimulation therapy method of  claim 6 , wherein
 the first type includes a first pattern in which all of the suprahyoid muscle (SH), the thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a monophasic pattern, and   the second type includes a second pattern in which the thyrohyoid muscle (TH) and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a monophasic pattern and the suprahyoid muscle (SH) has a biphasic pattern, a third pattern in which the sternothyroid muscle (StH) has a monophasic pattern and the suprahyoid muscle (SH) and the thyrohyoid muscle (TH) have a biphasic pattern, and a fourth pattern in which all of the suprahyoid muscle (SH), the thyrohyoid muscle (TH), and the sternothyroid muscle (StH) have a biphasic pattern.   
     
     
         8 . The electrical stimulation therapy method of  claim 5 , wherein the stimulation unit includes a first stimulation unit attached to digastric and mylohyoid to stimulate bilateral suprahyoid muscles (SH), a second stimulation unit attached onto both sides of thyroid cartilage to stimulate a thyrohyoid (TH) muscle, and a third stimulation unit attached to an inner side of sternocleidomastoid muscle and to a lower portion of the thyroid cartilage to stimulate a sternohyoid (StH) muscle.